Safety window construction



Aug. 16, 1955 J. BREEZE SAFETY WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed May 29, 1951United States Patent SAFETY WINDOW CONSTRUCTION James Breeze, StewartManor, N. Y.

Application May 29, 1951, Serial No. 228,862

1 Claim. (Cl. 2052.2)

This invention relates to window and sash construction, and particularlyto a window wherein the sashes are demountable in a convenient manner,and always safe in operation.

The main object of my invention is to provide a window construction ofnovel type which allows the sashes to be readily removed for cleaning,painting or other purposes, and as easily replaced when such purpose hasbeen served.

Another object is to provide a window with sashes that are equipped tobe automatically retained in any position within the window framewithout the use of sash cords, chains or sash weights.

A further object is to have a window frame provided with removable sashguide members which facilitate removal of the sashes and also contributeto the retention of the sashes in attained positions along these guidemembers when the sashes are raised or lowered.

It is also an object of my invention to introduce what may be termed asafety sash construction for windows that are distinctly modern in formand elegant in style.

An ancillary object is to provide a modern type window construction withsafety stop sashes that in general simplifies the manufacture of windowsand window frames as such without sacrificing any feature normallypresent in an ordinary window.

It is, withal, an object to have a safety sash construction for windowswhich makes the sashes easy to handle and place in position and alsoreasonable in cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention and accruing from itsapplication in practice will appear in further detail as thespecification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of the invention for a properappreciation of the salient features thereof, it is illustrated on theaccompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the safety sash window made accordingto the invention and embodying the same in a practical form, the viewshowing the Window from the inside;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 22 in Figure l andshowing details of construction;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 in the same Figure 1;and

Figure 4 is another vertical section taken on line 44 in Figure 1.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same orlike parts.

It is Well known that in this country, windows usually are soconstructed that two sashes are vertically slidable so as to be raisedor lowered in order to close or open the window involved. The sashes arecounterbalanced by sash weights connected to the sashes by sash cords orchains which frequently break and allow the sashes to drop in adangerous manner. Even if no serious damage has been caused by suchdropping of a sash, it is still a troublesome procedure to open thewindow frame, remove the sash and replace the broken sash cords orchains. The window frame itself must always be es- 'ice peciallyconstructed to accommodate the sash weights and have pulleys for thecords or chains, and this means extra cost and waste of space andmaterial in a manner that runs counter to modern trends.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that window sashesshould be readily removable as well as perfectly safe in operation so asto be virtually fool proof and always accessible and convenient tomanipulate. As a result of such consideration, I have succeeded inoriginating a safety sash construction for windows which I shall nowproceed to describe in the following.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring now again to thedrawing, a window frame, generally indicated at 5, primarily consists ofthe two opposite upright side walls 6, 6, the top 7 and the bottommember or sill 8 secured together to form a boX structure for containingthe sashes. An outer sill 9 is also provided, together with the outerframe members 10, 10 and upper outer frame member 11 to complete theframe as a whole, other details and parts being passed by for thepresent purpose.

However, it is to be noted that no provision need be made for sashweights or cords, nor is any pulley present in the frame. Instead, thelater may be provided with a pair of opposite metal sash guides 12, 12of L-shaped section as best seen in Figure 2. These guides rest againstthe outer frame members 10, 10 which thus serve as stops for the same tolocate them, while a pair of upper and lower screws 13, 14 in the upperand lower ends of the guides serve to hold them in place within sidewalls 6, 6 of the frame. A sash 15 is slidable between the guides 12,12, forming the outer sash of the window, and may be moved along theentire length of the slides at will. At the top, an upper transversechannel member 16 overlies the upper portions of the vertical guides 12,12, and is not screwed or nailed in place, but held in position by theupper portions of a pair of inner guides or channels 17, 17 for an innersash 18 held against side walls 6, 6 by upper and lower screws 19 and20. The lower portions of channels 17 rest upon a bottom member 21seated in sill 8 and provided with an upwardly extending rib 22 fittinginto a bottom groove 23 in sash 18 to serve as weather seal.

Thus far, the outline of the invention does not include a means forretaining the sashes in attained positions of elevation, but thispurpose is served in a special manner, now to be set forth. In each ofthe upright guides 12, 12 and channels 17, 17 are provided a series ofrecesses 24, 25 serving as stops for the sashes. The latter are eachprovided upon the opposite side edges engaging in the guides andchannels, with a spring catch 26 biased outward by a coil spring 27 andtending to seat in any one of a series of recesses or stops 24 or 25,depending upon which guide or channel is engaged. The net result is thatsashes when raised to any position along their guides will have theirspring catches successively engaged in the recesses as they are movingup or down, and when left in a given position, the catches will engagein the recesses in that position and hold the sash involved stationary.Thus, at every step, the force of gravity will be checked and preventedfrom drawing the sashes down from any attained position, and obviously,no counterbalancing sash weights will be necessary in such a window.

In other words, the sashes are automatically stopped and held inposition at any elevation, and cannot drop and are therefore very safeand convenient to use. I

On the other hand, another factor of safety is inherent in the presentsafety sashes, namely, the fact that a slight noise is produced wheneverthe safety catches of either sash pass the recesses in the guidesprevents burglars from silently opening the window and stealing into thehouse thus equipped. This is true in addition to the fact that theconstruction as a whole is very simple and low in cost.

Furthermore, when it is desired to clean or paint the two sashes, theymay readily be removed and the cleaning or painting done from theinside. In this connection, it is to be noted that if the upper andlower screws 19 and 20 are removed from guide or channel 17 shown inFigure 1, the channel may be removed as indicated in broken lines inFigure 2, when the sash 18 may thereafter also be moved inwardly at theside where the channel has been taken out. The sash may thus be removedaltogether and dealt with as a distinct independent object, and as thevertical guide 12 at the left then is exposed with its sash 15, thelatter may similarly be removed inwardly Without displacing either ofguides 12, 12. The upper transverse channel 16, however will be removedwith sash 15, as it is also exposed to view when sash 18 and the oneguide channel 17 are first removed. The sashes may, of course besimilarly replaced.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the safety sashes made accordingto my invention render the window easy to handle for all purposes andsafe as well, so that it is convenient to clean or paint without dangerand as conveniently restored to operation after such cleaning orpainting. Naturally, the window to which the invention is applied is notlimited to any one size or to any certain proportions of width andlength, and may be suitable for small and large dwellings, and thesashes themselves may be made of wood frames with glass lights or metalframes with glass or plastic panes if desired.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and modifications introduced,while parts may be omitted or used without others Within the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having now fully described my invention and disclosed the manner inwhich it is made and used, I claim:

A safety window construction comprising a frame having a sill, incombination with a pair of vertical outer sash guide angles connected tothe frame sides by means of screws and extending from adjacent the sillto adjacent the top of the frame, an upper transverse channel memberabutting the upper transverse portion of the said frame and havinginterlocking means for removably retaining the said transverse channelmember by means of the said guide angles, a second pair of inner sashguide channels attached to the said frame by means of screws andparallel to the outer angles and forming therewith outer channels, apair of sashes, one slidable in the so formed outer channels and oneslidable in the inner channels whereby removal of the screws holding oneinner sash guide channel permits the removal of both sashes, a lowertransverse angle-shaped member, the horizontal leg of the said lowertransverse member abutting the sill with the other leg extendingnormally thereto and upwardly and inwardly of'the said sill, and thesaid lower transverse member having interlocking means for removablyretaining the said lower transverse member by means of the said innerguide channels, an intermediate vertical Weather strip extending fromthe horizontal leg of the said lower transverse member to coact with agroove in the said sash bottom, the bottom portion of the said lowertransverse member forming an acute angle with the surface of the saidsill.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS555,350 Wassmann Feb. 25, 1896 681,379 Tidd Aug. 27, 1901 714,254Streeter Nov. 25, 1902 934,185 Kaselow Sept. 14, 1909 1,171,573 WhiteFeb. 15, 1916 2,182,008 Trombetta Dec. 5, 1939 2,402,112 Gee June 11,1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 452,139 Germany 1927

